The Underground Family Foundation
The Underground Family Foundation is a private foundation that made 10 grants totaling $1,515,513 in 2024. Its 2024 filing lists no location for the foundation. The filing describes its grants as supporting “various programs”; recipients included charities and educational organizations.
The Underground Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Underground Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $152K), top state Ohio. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,515,513
- -17.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -37.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $151,551
- +31.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $75,000
- Total assets
- $29,808,099
- +5.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (44% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Underground Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants should send written communication stating the organization’s name, nature of service, length of existence, and references. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Thomas Peters
Phone: (917) 749-0169
Email: peters@25plaza.net
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Underground Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund & PIF ($664K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 26 grants of 54 (48%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio (44%), New York (37%), Pennsylvania (18%), Washington, DC (2%), and Massachusetts (0%, rounded as reported).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Underground Family Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $245K; repeat grants $112K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2022) to $1.8M (2023). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund & PIF Cincinnati, OH | To Support Various Programs | $664,000 |
| Central Fund of Israel Cedarhurst, NY | To Support Various Programs | $250,000 |
| Chabad of Gramercy Park New York, NY | To Support Various Programs | $220,000 |
| Alliance for Decision Education Inc Bala Cynwyd, PA | To Support Various Programs | $170,000 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Philadelphia, PA | To Support Various Programs | $100,000 |
| American Friends of Sheba Medical New York, NY | To Support Various Programs | $50,000 |
| American Israel Education Foundation Inc Washington, DC | To Support Various Programs | $25,000 |
| Chabad Lubavitch of the Hamptons East Hampton, NY | To Support Various Programs | $20,000 |
| Belev Echad Inc New York, NY | To Support Various Programs | $16,000 |
| Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Inc Needham, MA | To Support Various Programs | $513 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $29,808,099 | $3,094,593 | $1,653,225 | $1,515,513 | 10 | $1,525,978 | $1,578,735 | $1,405,725 |
| 2023 | $28,366,731 | $2,819,590 | $1,856,696 | $1,844,652 | 16 | $1,849,485 | $2,276,537 | $1,410,402 |
| 2022 | $27,403,837 | $1,196,557 | $1,204,422 | $1,177,000 | 12 | $1,188,722 | $656,354 | $929,271 |
| 2021 | $27,411,702 | $635,333 | $1,223,807 | $1,215,146 | 16 | $1,223,807 | $34,296 | $1,330,266 |
| 2020 | $28,000,499 | $28,000,176 | — | — | — | — | $176 | $119,007 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Underground Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose missions span different areas. Central Fund of Israel says it was established to help donations reach charities in Israel. The Alliance for Decision Education describes its mission as equipping students with skills and dispositions for better decision-making. American Israel Education Foundation says it supports educational programs, including research, materials, and conferences. Belev Echad says it provides physical, medical, legal, emotional, and financial support to wounded Israeli soldiers and their families. Pan-Massachusetts Challenge says it raises funds for the Jimmy Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for cancer research, treatment, cure, and education.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $1,515,513. Grants ranged from $513 to $664,000, with a median of $75,000. The largest awards were $664,000 to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund & PIF, $250,000 to Central Fund of Israel, $220,000 to Chabad of Gramercy Park, $170,000 to Alliance for Decision Education, and $100,000 to Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. The filing lists each grant’s purpose as support for “various programs.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Thomas Peters as chair, treasurer, and director, and Bat Sheva Peters as vice chair, secretary, and director.
The Underground Family Foundation is led by Thomas Peters, Chair, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Thomas Peters
Chair, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bat Sheva Peters
Vice Chair, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Underground Family Foundation
How much does The Underground Family Foundation give each year?
The Underground Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 16 grants.
What is The Underground Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Underground Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $75,000, and its average grant was $151,551, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Underground Family Foundation that year got $245K on average.
Where does The Underground Family Foundation give grants?
The Underground Family Foundation's top state is Ohio, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (37%) and Pennsylvania (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants).
Does The Underground Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Underground Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Various Programs" (10 grants).
Who are The Underground Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Underground Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund & PIF ($664,000), Central Fund of Israel ($250,000) and Chabad of Gramercy Park ($220,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Underground Family Foundation?
The Underground Family Foundation reported $29.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Underground Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose missions span different areas. Central Fund of Israel says it was established to help donations reach charities in Israel. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Underground Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Underground Family Foundation's EIN?
The Underground Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3794803. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Underground Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Underground Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Underground Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-underground-family-foundation-morg_97afa73105a147b3a68d8b5ad0b3e52e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_853794803_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Underground Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-underground-family-foundation-morg_97afa73105a147b3a68d8b5ad0b3e52e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Underground Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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